Il Forno Pizza, the Butler Street pizzeria in the borough of Etna, has gone quiet, with the storefront now closed, according to local reporting. The shutdown leaves yet another space on the small town’s main drag after a relatively short run. Neighbors and regulars had already started to suspect something was up when the shop’s online ordering options and social media activity tapered off earlier this month.
Owner posts brief closure message
As reported by TribLIVE, Il Forno shared a short notice on July 3, thanking customers for “the support over the past 9 months” and saying the business had made “the difficult decision to cease operations” because of “mitigating circumstances.” The outlet noted that the pizzeria’s Facebook page was taken down and that neither Il Forno representatives nor the landlord could immediately be reached for comment.
Butler Street's revolving-door of pizzerias
The address at 376 Butler Street has seen a steady rotation of pizza operations in recent years. It previously housed Amato’s, which closed in April 2022 after nearly 70 years in business, and later Etna Slice House, which shut down after its pizzaiolo left, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. The rapid turnover has turned the corner into something of a pizza revolving door and has locals wondering what it will take to land a long-term operator there. Local coverage has kept tabs as one short-lived shop after another moved in and moved out.
Owner group runs several Butler Street venues
The block around Il Forno is anchored by several spots owned or operated by Rear End LLC, which runs the Rear End Gastropub & Garage at 399 Butler Street as well as the nearby Bitter End bar, according to the company’s website. The operator lists the gastropub’s address and menu online and has rolled out other food concepts along Butler Street in recent years.
Listings still show the address, but status varies
Despite the closure, business listings for Il Forno still point to 376 Butler Street, with the address and menu showing on the pizzeria’s ordering page and various delivery platforms, though hours and availability do not always match from service to service. Il Forno’s website and delivery portals such as DoorDash continue to list the shop at that location even as local reporting notes its social media pages have been removed. The Post-Gazette has also pointed out that Massimo Vozza, a familiar name in Etna’s pizza scene, has consulted with other neighborhood pizzerias and projects.
For now, the lights are off at 376 Butler Street, and the neighborhood is left waiting to see who will take a chance on one of Etna’s most frequently flipped corners. The closing of Il Forno marks the latest shift in the borough’s evolving dining lineup.
